Kathmandu, Oct 12: Early warnings from upstream residents helped prevent widespread casualties when a sudden flood swept through the Budhigandaki valley before dawn Sunday, destroying homes, bridges and hydropower infrastructure. Five people remain missing.
The flood destroyed 45 homes, partially damaged 27 others and swept away eight bridges. Four hydropower projects under construction, with a combined capacity of about 412 megawatts, also suffered damage.
Residents of Chumnubri Rural Municipality initially mistook the shaking of their houses for an earthquake. Hearing the river roar, they alerted downstream communities, police and administrators, allowing families to flee before floodwaters arrived.
“My house shook around 4 am. I initially thought it was an earthquake, then heard the river roaring,” said Narayan Prasad Sapkota, the municipality’s chief administrative officer.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said a landslide between Lokpa and Chumling in Chumnubri Ward 6 blocked the river, creating a lake that subsequently burst. Sapkota said preliminary information suggested a tributary had been blocked for at least three hours.
Memories of the devastating Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa about six weeks earlier encouraged residents to evacuate quickly, he said.
Chumnubri Vice-chairperson Laxmi Gurung said she began contacting communities around 3:45 am. Residents of Khorlabesi, Machhakhola, Soti, Arkhet and Arughat were told to move to safety.
Five Chumchet residents staying in livestock shelters beside Ungilung Khola remain unaccounted for: Sonam Lama, 65; his wife Mommoaji Lama, 59; Som Bhuti Lama, 66; Karma Lama, 73; and Pema Dorje Lama, 41.
About 700 security personnel were deployed. Armed Police Force Deputy Superintendent Sudip Regmi said 350 displaced residents and nine foreigners were moved to safety. Local governments provided food and shelter, while helicopters supported rescue operations upstream.
The flood destroyed two motorable bridges at Soti and Arughat and, according to preliminary assessments, six suspension bridges. Upper Gorkha was cut off, leaving helicopters as the only means of access. Two telecommunications towers and 50 electricity poles were also damaged.
Only scattered rainfall had occurred near the landslide site during the preceding 24 hours, making rainfall alone an unlikely explanation, the Flood Forecasting Division said. Water levels at Arughat exceeded the five-metre danger threshold by 7:50 am and reached 8.43 metres at 8:40 am.
The affected hydropower projects were Budhigandaki, Dobhan Khola, Yaru Khola and Machhakhola. Camps, bridges, access roads, materials and equipment were damaged or swept away. Preliminary reports indicated no casualties at the project sites.
Former disaster authority chief Anil Pokharel urged closer study of recurring sudden floods in Himalayan areas, citing recent events in Manang, the Kaligandaki basin and Bhotekoshi. He said the Budhigandaki flood should not be treated as an isolated event and called for further examination of environmental changes.
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